


Four And A Half Hours

by thesalukihusker



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 07:33:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20224153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesalukihusker/pseuds/thesalukihusker
Summary: How a conversation on the way back from Murray's may have gone.





	Four And A Half Hours

**Author's Note:**

> I really wanted a scene in season 2, episode 6 of Jonathan and Nancy's drive back to Hawkins from Sesser, Illinois. Since we didn't get one, this is my take on how it might have gone. Sesser is a lovely little town, not far from my hometown. I don't own Jancy, I just ship them, and my heart grew three sizes when they got together in episode 6.

Jonathan needs a break.

It's a four-and-a-half hour drive from Sesser, Illinois, back home to Hawkins. They just traveled this route yesterday, to meet with Murray Bauman, to get justice.

Three hours ago, they left Sesser, hopeful that their efforts will bring down Hawkins Lab. But Jonathan's mind is elsewhere right now.

_ Trust issues. _

_ Retreat. _

_ "I'm glad we feel the same way." _

Kisses, and touches, and a closeness that he's craved for so long. He's almost 18 years old, and all of this is new to him.

_ "So, Jonathan…" _

A spare bedroom in a stranger's space. A pink night gown. And all the courage he could possibly muster up, to kiss Nancy. He didn't want to keep his feelings for her buried anymore. For more than a year now he's felt something more for her than just friendship.

Now he knows that she feels the same way, or at least he thinks she does. Their night spent together was amazing. But since they left Murray's bunker, their car ride has been mostly quiet: miles and miles of two-lane roads, a new mixtape, and occasional glances at each other.

They've just crossed in to Terre Haute when Jonathan pulls in to a gas station. He's seen enough interstate and wide open space today. He needs some air. Everything feels like it's changed.

"Jonathan?"

Nancy gets out of the car, moves to where he's standing. He's putting gas in the car, and is startled by the voice behind him.

"Jonathan? I'm going inside to get some snacks. Do you want anything?"

Oh, what a question to ask.

"Um, no...no. I'm good. Thanks," he says, giving her a small smile. "Tell them ten on number three."

"Okay." She turns to walk inside. And then turns back. Kisses him once, and then again, the first times since early this morning. And then she's gone.

Jonathan gets back in his car, rubbing his eyes and adjusting the mirror. That wasn't what he was expecting. None of this was what he was expecting. 

The passenger door opens, and she's back, with drinks and snacks. She tosses a bag of Twizzlers to him. "Thought you might want a snack," she tells him as he starts the car. "Maybe you could share them with me, though?"

She winks at Jonathan, and he's immediately pulling her toward him, kissing her like he did last night. 

###

He's back on I-70, headed toward Indianapolis, when Nancy breaks the silence.

"It wasn't a mistake."

Jonathan almost drives off the road. 

"It wasn't a mistake," Nancy repeats. "It wasn't the vodka. It wasn't the good suburban girl trying to be someone she isn't. It wasn't any of those things."

"Then what was it?," Jonathan replies, suddenly worried that their night together was a one-time thing. He's not sure he could handle that. Check that - he knows he couldn't handle it.

"Acting on what I've felt for over a year now."

Jonathan almost chokes on his drink for the second time today.

When he went to the door of the guest room, he fully intended to tell her how he felt. But when she opened the door, his brain couldn't form the words. So he acted on what his instinct said to do _ : kiss her. Kiss her like it'll be the only time you ever will. _

Jonathan taps his fingers on the steering wheel, carefully considering what to say next. He lets out the breath he's been holding. The sign along the interstate lets them know that Indianapolis is only about an hour away.

###

"So what now? We get back to Hawkins and then what?"

Nancy looks flustered, like she doesn't want to explain this again. But she knows they need to have this talk. She's about to answer when Jonathan continues.

"Nancy, I don't want this to be a one-time thing. You know how I feel. You know that I don't want this to be just a physical relationship. You know how hard it is for me to let people in. I -"

He gets distracted by Nancy's hand running through the back of his hair. 

"...have trust issues?," Nancy says. "Jonathan, I know how difficult that is for you. But I also know that I'm not going to try to deny it anymore that you're just my friend. I'm not suggesting that we move right to 'I love yous' and staying together every night. But I want this too. You're not the only one who's had a crush," she says.

She moves over to sit next to Jonathan, who hands her a Twizzler. They're holding hands, watching the Indiana landscape pass by. "So does this mean that I can kiss you again?," Jonathan asks her.

"Please do," Nancy says, and his eyes light up. "And then do it again?"

She rests her head on his shoulder, the tension between them replaced by something new and exciting.


End file.
